Author's note: I'm thankful for the other alternative ending for Ring 2 fic that's on this site because I don't have a copy of the movie and I don't remember the details.
The television set in Rachel Keller's bedroom powered on by itself. Rachel looked up blankly at the screen, resigned to what she expected to see. The impulse to escape was dulled by her exhaustion, and her son Aidan was barely conscious on the bed. Filling the screen was the image of Samara Morgan in her white dress, her straight dark hair hanging lankly over her face, obscuring all the features. This, Rachel knew, was what Noah faced minutes before his death.
Her desperate resistance found voice. "You can't have my son! Take me instead."
Two bare arms of gray flesh reached out through the screen and gripped Rachel's wrists. Her brain registered the cold wetness of the hands before she was pulled head first through the screen.
In her bedroom the unconscious body of Rachel Keller slumped to the floor.
The blue-tinged black-and-white images on the television screen went unwatched. Rachel was standing in the clearing in the woods. The well was out of focus in the background. Rachel's head was bowed and her eyes closed, as if she were in a trance. She was completely oblivious of Samara coming up behind her with that strange, lurching gait. Noiselessly, with unhurrying patience, Samara drew closer. When she was standing behind Rachel's back her hands reached up and grabbed Rachel by the arms. The picture flickered and distorted, dissolved into static, and finally went black. The television turned itself off.
Rachel awoke. She found herself on the floor of her bedroom. Sunlight was streaming through the window blinds. Aidan was lying asleep on her bed.
What had she been dreaming of?
You saw that woman, so proud and beautiful, brushing her hair. That was how you always remember her. Your mother. She was happy once. She had everything she ever wanted. Things had gone all wrong. You remember her staring out the window with dark circles under her eyes, so sad. It wasn't meant to happen this way. She was afraid. They were all afraid. They did awful things out of fear.
It was so lonely in the dark place. Some people would begin to understand. But then they would die and it was lonely again. Aidan understands, and he survived. And you.
"I remember it all," Rachel said aloud.
Rachel stood up and went to look at herself in the mirror. Hovering behind her, visible only in the mirror, was Samara. Rachel was not disturbed or frightened now. She continued to gaze steadily at the mirror. Samara was still. Rachel heard a girl's voice in her head whisper, "Now I can sleep." Samara's image disappeared. For the first time the thought occurred to Rachel that if Samara had lived she would be almost thirty now. Almost the same age as her.
Aidan was awake now and watching his mother intently. He came over to where she still stood in front of the mirror. "Is it over?" he asked.
"Yes, Aidan, it's over." She embraced her son. "Everything has to come to an end."
